Cabrera, Perry make final swing for Masters glory

AUGUSTA, Georgia – Angel Cabrera and Kenny Perry will go to the last day of the Masters sharing the lead, playing in the final group at a major for the first time.

They were at 11-under 205 on Saturday, the lowest 54-hole score at the Masters since the course was supersized seven years ago.

The pair has proved they can handle the pressure on golf’s biggest stage but Sunday at Augusta National will be a test unlike any other they have faced.

Cabrera, who won the US Open two years ago at Oakmont, made three birdies on the back nine and scratched out an important par on the final hole for a 3-under 69.

Perry, who thrived under the spotlight of a Ryder Cup in his native Kentucky last September, overcame two mistakes with his putter around Amen Corner and finished with five straight pars for a 70 to join the Argentine in the lead.

On Sunday, the back nine at Augusta National is among the most intense in golf, and officials are expected to set up the course to allow for birdies and eagles.

“I’m lucky enough to be in a very good position,” Cabrera said. “I haven’t been in this position before so I’ll try to make the most of it.”

Perry lost in a playoff at the US PGA Championship in 1996, when he was criticized for being in the broadcast booth instead of keeping loose on the practice range. He never would have imagined that all these years later, he would have a chance to become golf’s oldest major champion at 48.

“The first two days felt like I was on vacation,” Perry said. “Today felt like a job.”

They had a two-shot lead over Chad Campbell, who led briefly on the back nine until a blunder on the 16th hole when he took two shots to get out of the bunker, made double bogey and wound up with a 72.

Jim Furyk, another former US Open champion, shot 68 and was three shots behind at 8-under 208.

Steve Stricker played bogey-free for a 68 that put him four shots behind at 7-under, with former British Open champion Todd Hamilton (72), Shingo Katayama (70) and Rory Sabbatini (70) another shot behind.

The Masters began with the anticipation of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson going head-to-head in the final round, and that’s what happened. Trouble is, both were seven shots behind and still trying to convince themselves that they still had a chance.

Woods began his Saturday charge by hooking his tee shot into the trees and making double bogey. His tee shot on the par-3 sixth hit the base of the pin and tumbled off the green. He rallied with three birdies over the last six holes for a 70. (AP)